- New exhibition explores Western Australian family treasures and stories
- Rare public display of materials from the Graham "Polly" Farmer collection, as well as Bob Hawke's school report card
- Free launch event and panel conversation at the State Library on Friday, 19 July
The State Library of Western Australia's new exhibition Keepsake: Cherished Family Mementos from the Collection (Keepsake)offers a unique glimpse into the personal histories and treasured objects held on to by Western Australians.
This fascinating exhibition, which also includes a treasure trove of archival home movies, explores why we are compelled to pass down heirlooms or stories and what these items tell us about Western Australian history and identity.
The exhibition includes notable items such as scrap books, ephemera and medals from the Graham "Polly" Farmer collection. Graham "Polly" Farmer MBE, the Australian football legend who dedicated his later years to raising awareness about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, kept items including fan mail from students asking for advice on their football technique.
Unearthed from the State Archives is Bob Hawke's school report from Perth Modern School, providing a detailed and surprisingly candid glimpse into the early years of Australia's longest-serving Labor Prime Minister.
In addition to these remarkable items, Keepsake presents stories of everyday Western Australians and their family mementos, including the many families who migrated to the State from all over the world.
The exhibition spans two levels of the State Library and has something for everyone, including an interactive kids' zone.
A launch event and panel conversation will be held on Friday, 19 July. Enjoy an after-hours viewing of the exhibition and hear from an expert line-up of researchers, historians and scientists who will explore how keepsakes and our desire to chart and collect our family histories shape identity.
As part of this event, The Chin Wagon, a mobile sound studio, will be stationed outside the State Library in the Perth Cultural Centre to offer limited recording sessions to those who wish to share their own keepsakes and the stories behind them.
To register for the launch event and panel conversation visit slwa.wa.gov.au/whats-on/keepsake-launch-and-panel-conversation
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"The State Library fulfills a vital role in ensuring that significant keepsakes remain safe and accessible to future generations.
"Some of these objects have been stored under beds, in family albums, or in attics and sheds, and now they have a new home at one of the State's key collecting institutions.
"These items, and the stories they hold, help us better understand who we are as Western Australians. I'm excited to see them on display in the Keepsake exhibition."
